Wonderful forever
by Soumi97
Summary: Monica puts on her reading glasses to read her anniversary present, before her anniversary unlike what Chandler had told her to do.
1. Wonderful forever

**Wonderful forever**

 **Hello!**

 **So let me give you a brief idea of what this fanfic is going to be about.**

 **It's a collection of Mondler oneshots, told by Chandler's point of view in the form of a book, which we are going to read along with Monica. Basically, if I write a Mondler oneshot, it will most likely end up here. Hope you like it! :)**

 **Note:- The first chapter is simply a prologue.** **A backdrop for the rest of the chapters to follow...**

 _Monica put on her reading glasses as she turned to open or rather, read her anniversary present. Though Chandler's presence, especially today would've meant everything to her, she understood the unavoidable commitments his job came with. The last time they were forced to see so less of each other was when he had got a transfer in Tulsa. Things couldn't have been more different this time._

 _Chandler had made his mark in the advertising firm so fast that under two years he was being offered jobs in the comic book industry. And from there, he never looked back. From comic books to short stories and then to his first novel, he became an immediate success. The fact that he was Nora Bing's son did help, but he made it very clear in all his interviews that he was never ever going to write books of the same genre as his mother. Monica could only laugh at the thought of him writing something even remotely close. That was why she was taken by surprise when Chandler chose to write something romantic._

 _Uptil now, Chandler had always shown her his drafts, and used to seek her advice whenever he was out of ideas. She helped him in any way she could and was really happy that she was the only one who got to read the books before they were made public. Rachel had tried snooping, begging, even betting once to know what was in his next book, as she always had limited tolerance to suspense. But Chandler, knowing that she was a huge gossip no matter how hard she tried, had stayed shut and so did she. Now, she totally understood how Rachel must have felt all this time. She had been kept in the dark for 6 whole months and it surely had driven her crazy. And that was why she was breaking her promise to not open the book until the day of their anniversary. Ehh, she thought. He was a few thousand miles away on his book tour. He should've known better than to trust her with a present. And that too an anniversary one._

 _Her face brightened with excitement when she saw the name of the book._

 **Wonderful... Forever**

 _The name struck a chord, as this was exactly how she would've described her life right now. It was wonderful and she just knew that's how it would be for as long as they were together. Flipping through the pages containing the title and the publication details, she had intended to start reading the book right away, but a page made her stop, filling her eyes with gratitude and amazement._

'To Monica,

For being my wife, my best friend and everything else I could've ever asked for'

 _And he thinks that he isn't romantic, she thought rolling her eyes. She wished he were here to tell him that it was he who had been everything she'd ever asked for. More often than not he did things for her without her even asking for them._

 _Unable to resist the temptation to read further she continued on to the next page._

 **Prologue : Wonderful Tonight**

Whenever someone asks me how married life has been for me, I am always reminded of the song 'Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton, for it has a special place in my heart. After all, it was this song to which we had slow danced to on the night we got engaged.

 _It's late in the evening; she's wondering what clothes to wear_

 _She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blonde hair_

 _And then she asks me, "Do I look alright?"_

 _And I say "Yes, you look wonderful tonight"_

 _We go to a party and everyone turns to see_

 _This beautiful lady, that's walking around with me_

 _And then she asks me, "Do I feel alright?"_

 _And I say "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight"_

 _I feel wonderful because I see_

 _The love light in your eyes_

 _And the wonder of it all_

 _Is that you just don't realise how much I love you_

 _It's time to go home now and I've got an aching head_

 _So I give her the car keys and she helps me to bed_

 _And then I tell her, as I turn out the lights_

 _"My darling you were wonderful tonight"_

 _Oh, my darling you were wonderful tonight"_

With you, Mon, everyday seems like a party. A reason to celebrate. Everyday it feels like I'm bathing in the spotlight of your eternal beauty, both inside and out. Everyday your love shines down upon me and I try to reciprocate it in whichever way I can.

The only change which I would like to make here is that with you, Mon, it's not just wonderful tonight.

It's Wonderful... Forever.


	2. Almost 40 and in no need of back up plan

**2\. Almost 40 and in no need of back up plan**

 **A/N:- I hope you don't get confused by the chapter number. The number below is the chapter number of the book and since the first chapter was a prologue, it lags behind the chapter number of this story by one.**

 _Monica's eyes sparkled with tears as she finsihed reading the prologue, a wave of emotions overwhelming her conscience. Much of her disappointment and annoyance at the absence of Chandler on their anniversary had just been converted into a longing for his presence, be it his warm embrace or his awkward jokes. Yet, seeing that his words were all she had right now, ploughing on with the book was the best way she could make do. And hence, she flipped the page and began reading the first chapter, yearning to relive one amongst the many memories of their life._

 **1\. Almost** **40 and in no need of the back up plan.**

Everyone has a back up option. A plan B if your plan A doesn't work. A safety net.

But when it came to marriage, I didn't even HAVE a plan A, being that commitment-o-phobe that I had always been. So it came to me as a surprise when Monica told me that I not only had a Plan B, but that she would've been the one in that case as well.

 _1_ _1 May 1995_

There we were, in the waiting room of the hospital in which my friend Ross's lesbian ex-wife Carol was about to give birth to their son, Ben. Weird, right? When it comes to Ross's love life, it's always been complicated. I have promised him to write a book on it if I have the time. Trust me when I say that it'll be VERY entertaining.

Anyways, so we were waiting there while a couple walked in with twins in their hands and that was when I opened my big fat mouth to ask Monica to be my back up the stupidest way a guy could ever have. Actually I had simply done it as a way to make her feel better. I understood the ramifications way too late.

"Not fair! I don't even have one! How can they get two?!" Monica asked, visibly upset.

"You'll get one." I said, only too used to her baby fever.

" Oh yeah? When?" she demanded.

"Alright. I'll tell you what. When we are 40, and neither of us are married, what do you say you and I get together and have one?" I blabbed not even completely aware of my own speech.

" Why won't I be married when I'm 40?"

Damn it! Why couldn't I ever think things through? Now I had succeeded in making her even more upset.

"Oh no! No, no, no! I just meant hypothetically!" I tried, back-pedaling immediately.

"Okay. Hypothetically, why won't I be married when I am 40? Seriously is there something fundamentally unmarriable about me?"

Oh my God! How could I let her think that?! Didn't she realise the loads of 'fundamentally marriable' things she had? Of course she would be married before 40. A LOT before. As soon as I realized that the situation was getting out of hand, I turned to humour, which was the only defence mechanism I knew back then.

" Oh dear God! This, this parachute is a knapsack!"

Luckily she chose to either forgive or ignore me. I shut up, too late as usual but grateful at the lack of her response.

The way I had asked her left me in little doubt that she won't even remember it. But, as usual, she managed to surprise me.

 _Ben's Bar Mitzvah -_ _13 years later..._

As it so happens, the next time we ever spoke of this disaster was when we were returning from Ben's Bar Mitzvah. As was usual, Monica was driving (By the way... Did I mention how laidback I am?) and I was in the shotgun seat. Jack and Erica, my two amazing 4 year olds were deep asleep in the back of the car, tired by roaming around in the party and hanging out with Emma, their mischievous yet loveable cousin. There was a lazy, peaceful silence in the car. I decided to take a short nap. In my defence, balancing five kids on your four limbs for an entire evening was an exhausting task. Suddenly though, Monica broke it by her soft voice, almost whispering so as not to wake up the kids.

"It's amazing, isn't it?"

"Hmm?" I asked, still not fully oriented.

"Kids grow up so fast you don't even realise it" she said, her eyes having the tender look she always had whenever she used the word 'Kids'.

"Speak for yourself, I personally feel old enough to be a Grandpa!" I replied, indeed feeling weary after being attacked by the kids left, right and centre. She smiled in response and I was grateful that my lame jokes never grew old for her.

"I mean Ben is a teenager already! We have a nephew who is boasting about his first date now"

"Yeah, thank goodness he didn't wait ten years for her to come back by some miracle!" I exclaimed , to which Monica snorted in agreement. It's an inside joke. I'll explain in detail if I ever write Ross's biography as I mentioned earlier.

As the car continued speeding on the interstate, Monica seemed to passively gaze at the road ahead of her, lost in her own thoughts. And though I was intrigued as to what she was thinking, I couldn't help but be overpowered by exhaustion and returned to my peaceful slumber.

Not long after, the car suddenly swerved violently in the adjacent lane. Monica had apparently lost herself in a reverie, but recovered quickly enough so as to steer the car back to it's lane in no time.

"Sorry! I'm really sorry! You okay?" she exclaimed, while passing a quick look behind to check on the kids, who were sound asleep, completely unlike me who was now bewildered and widely awake.

"What's up, Mon?" I asked, a bit worried.

"Nothing" she claimed, like always.

"Hey, I'll drive if you are tired" I proposed, knowing that my wife never ever liked to admit that she couldn't do or didn't have the energy to do something.

Monica smiled at my genuine concern for her "No, I'm okay. Was just thinking..."

"About what?"

"Chandler have you ever thought that we'll be both in our fourties by next year? That's like half of our life gone already!" she exclaimed, sounding worried.

I frowned for a moment at this, confused about where she was going with this. Everyone hated aging, but Monica had been dying to live like a mature grown up since ages. I chose a diplomatic answer.

"Well, think of it like this - We still have the other half to ourselves."

"It's... it's not that simple. I mean, all my life I had been looking forward to leading a mature adult life, but sometimes I feel like I want to go back and relive those carefree years of my life." she replied, sounding nostalgic.

I was certainly taken aback and was surprised to hear her say that.

"Sometimes I do too. But all I have to do is to look at you and our wonderful kids to remind myself that what I have now is something I don't ever want to risk losing" I answered honestly.

"Why would you ever lose what we have?" she asked, confused.

"We came together by a lucky coincidence, the courtesy of your stupid brother." I began, in an attempt to explain her what I thought was obvious.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, taking offence.

There was a short pause as Mon contemplated the events surrounding her brother's rushed wedding.

"Meh. Who am I kidding? You are right." she replied, rolling her eyes as she did so.

"I mean, what if it all hadn't happened? I still count myself very lucky for how things turned out." I concluded.

She simply looked at me before smiling deeply and saying "Me too"

I couldn't think of an appropriate response to that, as I was positive she was just being kind to me.

The conversation came to a halt, and the silence resumed for a while. Shortly, the exit to Westchester came in sight, and our car parted way with the interstate. Suddenly, as though struck by an epiphany, Monica said,

"Know what? Actually we still could have been together."

"How?" I asked frowning. I couldn't see any other way. Drunk and vulnerable was the only way she could've fallen for me.

"Remember the night Ben was born?"

"Yeah". Vividly, I thought to myself.

"You had told me that if we were both single by the time we were 40, then we would get together and have a kid" she said, triumphant.

"You still remember that?" I asked shocked that she would recollect something I had spilled so carelessly so many years ago.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" she asked, looking confused.

"I say a lot of things and well... you guys never actually take me seriously" I replied, ears turning red as I did so. Seriously I just went on and on about stuff. It never occurred to me that it was even remotely worth remembering.

"Oh my God Chandler! You still think like that? We do know when you mean it! And I don't know about others but the only reason I pretend not to listen is to shut you up." she exclaimed, as I yet again revealed the insecurities I possesed.

"Because sometimes in life, you have to keep quiet!" she said, smiling.

"I know" I replied, grinning. I just couldn't help myself.

"I would never ever ignore you Chandler, I thought you knew that"

Yet again I was rendered speechless. She indeed loved me more than I could ever think of. She glanced sideways at me and our eyes met. Even though it was only for a few seconds, they managed to convey emotions which words could not.

"You know, I didn't really think you were serious at that time. But once I got out of the hospital I gave it some thought and you know what?" she said, as she resumed their conversation.

"What?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"I thought why not?"

"Really?" I had thought she would consider it as a joke, so her saying that she had not only considered it but agreed to it threw me in for a loop.

"Yeah! Even then I knew I could always rely on you. You have always been my safety net, Chandler. It felt nice to know that if things didn't work out for me, I would still have you"

"Not if I had gotten married first!" I blurted out, only meaning it as a joke. Me getting married before her?! Impossible.

But Monica seemed to have taken it seriously, and her face suddenly fell. Really, when was I gonna stop being so stupid?

"Oh yeah..." she said, in a small voice.

"Hey, who am I kidding?! Of course you would have been the one to get married first!" I exclaimed, truthfully. It seemed to work, as she smiled, and the colour returned to her face.

"You think so?" she asks softly.

"Why not? There is absolutely nothing 'unmarriable' about you!"

Monica let out a laugh probably remembering the rest of our conversation, and how it had ended with me awkwardly backing off. But then, another thought seemed to cross her mind and she regained her serious expression.

"Honestly Chandler, do you really think it would've worked out?"

I wasn't quite sure what to say. Now that I knew that there had been a Plan B, I still wasn't sure it would've been the best way to marry her. Out of convenience rather than choice.

"I don't know... I mean I would like to think yes, but maybe not..." I stuttered, unable to continue.

I was still lost in thoughts when fortunately, we found ourselves in front of our driveway. Monica stopped the car in front of the door, while I got out to open the garage. Once done, I opened the back door and gently shook the twins.

"Guys? Come on! We are home"

It took some prodding and convincing, but finally they were rubbing their eyes in order to detach themselves from their fairyland. Deciding that they were too tired to walk, I picked them up in my arms and pushed the door shut with my torso.

"Get them ready for bed while I park the car in the garage" Monica told me while fondly gazing at them.

I nodded in response and headed towards the front door. But soon, Jack began to wriggle in my arm.

"I'm a big boy! Let me down!" he complained.

I couldn't help but grin as I let Jack down. Strangely, Jack seemed to have inherited Monica's independent nature. Though he was still sleepy, being carried was something which he hated. Erica in the meanwhile chose to nestle peacefully on my chest. She was laid back and easy going just like me.

As I turned to open the front door, I suddenly realised I didn't have the keys in my pocket. Just then some piece of metal seemed to hit me on my back. Chuckling, I moved to retrieve the keys fallen on to the ground. When I looked up, I found her looking at me, the expression of blissful happiness tinged with humour on my forgetfulness filling her eyes.

We had suddenly found a new respect for the way things had turned out for us.

At that instant I thanked heaven that though being almost 40 we had not needed the back up plan to make us the perfectly happy family we were. I don't know what would've happened else, but what I do know is that things could never ever have been this good for us.

For what could be better than perfect?


	3. Responsibility

**3\. Responsibility**

 **Monica**

 _Yeah, she remembered the night very well. For it had been one of those nights during which she had laid awake for hours, pondering deeply over Chandler's words. Yes, he had been right. They had indeed come together by pure chance._ She _had never really given much thought to it. But the facts were solid:- She had almost been engaged to a millionaire, had once given her heart to a well established ophthalmologist, never actually realising that money and repute weren't the things she should've been looking for anyways! What she should've been looking for was a person who could understand her, comfort her and be the beacon in her darkest hour. Something for which she really didn't have to look farther than the door right in front of her own._

Why _had she been so blind so as to miss a thing so obvious?_

 _How the hell had she, the person who had planned every detail of her wedding, let things come to a chance when it came to choosing the most important part of her wedding?_

 _Why had she been so careless?_

 _So irresponsible?_

 _S_ _peaking about responsibility, that was what Chandler had named his next chapter in the book, something which she found out on flipping the page absentmindedly._ _She looked at the date. It_ _was one which she could recollect only too well._

 **2\. Responsibility**

Honestly, I really don't think I'm the right person to talk about it, since I've always been that type of person who has been running away from it all his adult life. But then... I guess you can say it got me! And it wasn't so bad. Sometimes, it actually made me wonder out loud,

"Seriously?! Is that all I had been running away from?"

But there were times when it wasn't so easy. Times which made you realise how tough it could actually get.

 _7th September 2009_

"Aww, honey! You don't have to feel guilty about it!" My wife said, cuddling our daughter Erica as she finished narrating one of her very first experiences in pre-school.

"I don't?" Erica asked, her face brightening all of a sudden.

"Yeah. Because that was something that happened a long time ago! It was something which our grand-grand-grand... grandparents did. Even grandpa Jack wasn't born then." Monica said, repeating the word grand so many times that Erica let out a giggle.

"He wasn't?! But he's so old!" Eri exclaimed, her eyes widening with wonder.

I let out a small chuckle at that. Let's just say that my father-in-law surely would have had atleast something to say on this.

"History is even older, sweetie. It dwarfs us all." Mon explained, smiling sweetly.

There was a pause as our daughter digested this new piece of information. But then, she said something which completely caught us off guard.

"Hmm. But still we were responsible, weren't we?" was her response, with a bit of a frown upsetting her otherwise flawless face.

 _'When did she learn that?!'_ I thought, finding a whole new level of respect for our daughter.

For once, my wife, who always had an answer ready was tounge tied by the question thrown at her by our inquisitive five year old, as she helplessly looked at me for an answer. It was about time that I uttered something. Or it won't be 'me'.

"Actually, you know what?" I said, stooping so as to look at my daughter in the eye.

"I don't think we were. Because our grandparents, your great grandparents that is, weren't actually born here. So they were not here at all!" I exclaimed, my brain coming up with the best possible solution it could in those precious five seconds.

"They were not?!" Erica exclaimed, her frown disappearing.

"Nope." I said, moving my head for better effect.

Eri jumped with joy, her face lighting up with that carefree laughter I always loved to see.

"Yay! On your face, Jacob! We weren't responsible!" she exclaimed, punching in the air and still hopping.

Just then, the doorbell rang. I frowned.

"We weren't expecting anyone... Were we?" I asked Monica, who nodded a no and frowned as well.

I headed to the living room and opened the door to see a pair of very anxious parents and a kid of about Erica's age in between them. I looked at them curiously, intrigued as to their purpose.

"Yes?" I asked.

They looked relieved by my cool demeanor. Perhaps they had been expecting something rude. I wondered why. It wasn't time for my afternoon siesta. I don't get cranky. Not for the next couple of hours atleast.

"Hi! We are Jacob's parents. And you must be Erica's father?" the man said, extending his hand for a formal handshake.

'Ah! That explains it!' I thought, finally understanding the reason behind their nervous attitude and unannounced arrival.

"Yup." I said, as I accepted his handshake.

"We are very sorry for our child's behaviour." his mother said, looking genuinely upset.

"It's alright. Please, come in!" I said, smiling reassuringly.

They looked at each other, surprised by the lack of hostility, yet again. 'They seem like good people' I thought, now feeling a little amused at their behaviour.

"Thank you." she replied, as they entered the living room.

Over a platter of delicious snacks, the courtesy of my personal chef, Mon, the chain of events finally became clearer. Apparently, the previous night, Jacob had been told stories of atrocities exerted by the colonists on the natives by his grandfather, who lived in the reservation not far away. Jacob had taken them to heart and that was how he had ended up scolding poor Erica over it. Kids.

His parents were truly upset with the way things had turned out and assured us that they would take care that such a thing doesn't happen again. Not much afterwards, Jacob humbly apologised to Erica, which she accepted immediately, being the kindhearted angel that she always is.

Around the time that we adults finished up, Erica and Jack hurried down the stairs to the living room, accompanied by an excited yet shy Jacob. They had been invited to his home, which it appeared had toys that we didn't.

And that was how, an hour later, everything was alright and we had the house to ourselves, something which doesn't happen that often if you have a pair of over-energetic five year olds running around all the time.

Monica shut the door and turned to look at me with a broad smile on her face. Well... that was until she noticed the expression on my face.

"Hey! What's wrong?" she asked, coming closer and taking hold of my shoulders.

I sighed, a bit unsure of what I was about to say.

"You know, sometimes I wonder whether that is the right thing to do." I said, being a little evasive on purpose.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You know, keeping them from the reality of the world." I said, still going tangential. Honestly, I'm no fan of conflict. And debating with my wife is simply the last thing that I wanted. And not because of her rage, which by the way can be brutal if you get to her wrong side. Uh oh. I speak too much sometimes, don't I?

"Oh come on! You honestly don't believe that we have a responsibility. Do you?" she countered, misinterpreting my statement.

"Actually Mon, we do have a moral responsibility." I said, feeling glad that she had missed the true intention of my words.

On hearing those words, her frame suddenly shrunk.

"You are right. Maybe we do." she said in a small voice.

"But she's a five year old, Chandler! Can you imagine how much it would hurt her if we were to tell, Yes kiddo. You do have a 'moral' responsibility." she continued, trying to make me understand.

I knew she was right. It really wasn't right to expect a five year old to understand a concept so complex. Something which even most of us adults failed to grasp.

"I know. But that day would have to come someday. She'll have to be responsible sometime." I said.

"Now Chandler Bing is going to tell people to be responsible?!" Monica asked, her voice conveying the exasperation which she felt.

Ouch. That hurt.

"I... know what? You are right. Who am I kidding?" I replied, my shoulders sagging in agreement. I should indeed be the last person on this entire planet to teach ANYONE to be responsible.

Perhaps my expressions gave me away for Monica's eyes immediately softened and she began rubbing my arm, looking genuinely apologetic.

"Hey, hey... I'm sorry." she said, her voice sincere.

"It's okay... " I assured her.

That was when she finally realised what I had meant all along. Distancing from me just a little, she looked me in the eye and said,

"Today's event is not what this is really about, is it?"

'Gotcha!' my mind said to me.

"Well... it's both. A yes as well as a No." I began.

"Chandler..." Monica said, nodding her head.

Well, it was about time I ripped the bandage right off.

"It's about lying to the twins that we are their biological parents. Sometimes... I really wonder whether that's a good idea." I stated, finally getting it off my chest.

"Chandler! We've been through this before! It's not time yet." Monica exclaimed in a low voice, as though afraid that the kids might hear us even though they were miles away.

There were very few issues about which I and Mon had completely opposite views. And this was the most important one of them by far. And by that I mean really, really far. Ever since the twins had started calling us mom and dad, it has been something that has stuck me every time they did so, like a bomb ticking away someplace.

"It's just that, I don't want my kids to grow up like me. Afraid of responsibility and commitment. I want them to be like you. Able to face them with nerves of steel." I reasoned, trying to make her understand as to why it was so important for me.

"You think too much of me, Chandler Bing." she replied, blushing a deep crimson.

"No less than what you deserve, Mon." I sincerely replied, pulling her close.

Our lips were about to meet when she suddenly backed off.

"I see what you are doing there, Bing!" she said. "You seriously think that's gonna work this time?!" she challenged, with a look of mischief in her eyes.

"Damn it!" I exclaimed, upset that she had figured it out.

Okay, so I admit that I hadn't been entirely sincere I had complimented her. For lately, I had fallen into a habit of getting my demands fulfilled by a 'failproof' method suggested by my best friend, Joey. So it's obvious that most of that stuff is adults only. And it had worked. Right until now.

"But what if someone comes and pulls a 'Chandler'?" I asked, something that had been nagging me ever since Eri told us about Jacob's accusation.

"Someone pulls a Chandler?" my wife asked, amused.

"Yeah! Remember the time we had visited a couple who had adopted a child? And how I had ended up telling the kid that he was adopted? What do we tell our kids then? That yes, we have been lying to them from the start? Can you imagine how devastating that would be?" I said, my voice becoming a little too high pitched and desperate towards the end.

There was a definite pause as Monica realised that I was right.

"I... don't think that would happen." she said, sounding unsure.

"But what if it does?" I asked, almost pleading.

That was when the dam broke.

"Do you REALLY think that such a thought hasn't crossed my mind?! If it isn't someone from the adoption agency then it could be our parents! Or our neighbors. Or... or someone like Jacob who says something inadvertently." she said, the words coming in a hurry as though they had been waiting to materialize all along. Which, perhaps were, now that I think about it.

"Mon..." I began, trying to calm her.

"Or.. What if the kids get up one fine day and notice that they don't look like us at all?!" she exclaimed, with a hand on her forehead.

This wasn't looking good.

"Mon..." I tried again, a little alarmed this time.

"What if they start asking us questions first! What if they reject us as their parents! What if..." she said, now beginning to shake with fear.

"MON! I need you to calm down and take a couple of deep breaths." I said, finally succeeding in breaking her chain of thought.

She relented as I settled her down on the couch and got her a glass of water as she shook visibly, her breathing increasing remarkably.

"It's freaking me out, Chandler." she finally admitted as she gulped the water down and looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah... I know." I said, taking the glass from her and pulling her into an embrace which she gratefully accepted.

After a while I gently broke the hug and taking both of her hands in mine, I said,

"See... This is exactly why we should tell them! Not telling will only increase our anxiety and their misgivings. For we'll simply have to tell them one day or the other."

Slowly, she nodded and a wave of relief passed through my entire body.

"I know. It's just that... I don't think they are ready." she said, her voice filled with concern.

"They? Or is it us?" I challenged.

"I mean, you saw Erica today. She sure is. And as far as Jack is concerned... Meh! I don't think he'll care either ways!" I continued and we both chuckled as we fondly thought of the fiercely independent nature of Jack. Honestly, that boy might actually start living a life all by himself if we let him.

"But what if they take it to heart? What if they don't understand... or worse... they never talk to us again?" she said, mirroring my worries.

"That part is always going to be there, Mon." I replied, looking at her with half a smile. "And they will come around. I don't think we are such bad people!" I continued, trying to cheer her up.

Her face brightened momentarily before she said,

"I really don't think I can do this, Chandler..." her body language radiating uncertainty, a trait which was my homeground but almost unseen in my wife.

"Then may be it's time that I took the lead." I said, feeling a confidence that I didn't really know I had.

"You sure?" she asked, with a look that made me feel as though I had volunteered to participate in the Hunger games or something.

"Yeah. I mean, what's the worst that can happen?" I asked, expecting atleast a snicker from her.

It didn't come.

And so we sat, simply holding each other, almost dreading the arrival of our kids, a thing which we hadn't thought we ever would.

That evening, the roles were reversed. Probably for the first time in my entire life, I was the one who took responsibility even when I had a choice not to. I was the one who slowly explained my kids while Monica simply stood by, looking at me with admiration, something which had been my department since time immemorial.

I'm not going to go into the details and describe everything that happened. Let's just say that the words 'soppy and emotional' would suffice here. Thankfully, our kids neither ran away from us nor did they stop talking to us because of it. They were simply confused and unhappy, but that phase didn't last long. Soon, things were pretty much back to the way they were. Kids. Their quality of being able to forgive and forget is something that us adults will always envy.

It wasn't just the kids who learnt a lot that day. We did too. Running away from responsibility isn't really the right way out. Because in the end, you might always feel...

"Seriously?! Is that all I had been running away from?"

 **A/N:- This was a story which I had been wanting to write since quite sometime and Mondler seemed a good fit. By the way, Monica's memory lane isn't over. I'll be continuing that in the next chapter. So if you had been worrying that I had suddenly swapped the story, leaving Monica's part incomplete, don't worry!**

 **Hope you liked it. I'm all ears for feedback! :)**

 **Until next time!**


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